Crypto News 01.11.2018

New York awards BitLicense to Bitcoin ATM company

Bitcoin ATM provider Coinsource received its BitLicense from the New York State Department of Financial Services. Coinsource becomes the first digital currency ATM provider to be granted the license and the 12th company overall to receive the stamp of approval from the state regulator.

CEO of Coinsource Sheffield Clark said “All New Yorkers — from the people that are unbanked to the people who own the banks — can use our kiosks in their neighborhood retail locations to buy Bitcoin instantly in a convenient and familiar way.”

Bithumb and seriesOne partner to launch US securities token exchange

Aiming to create an SEC and FINRA-compliant US exchange, blockchain-based crowdfunding firm seriesOne and crypto exchange Bithumb have formed a joint venture. The goal is to trade security tokens within a “compliant marketplace” and within the context of “other applicable regulatory approvals.”

Korean Bitcoin exchange Bithumb is partnering with seriesOne, an expert on US regulation, with experience working with the SEC. For seriesOne, the new alliance allows it to build its presence in the Asian region through a Bithumb investment designed to “scale technical development and marketing.” “Together the companies believe they are well positioned to execute on a global token exchange that operates in compliance under US securities laws,” according to the joint statement.

Hong Kongs securities watchdog to regulate crypto funds

Hong Kongs Securities and Futures Commission says it will bring crypto funds under its securities regulations to improve investor protection. The financial regulator said that investment funds based in Hong Kong will have to be licensed and registered with the agency. Ashley Alder, the SFCs chief executive officer, said in a news release: “The measures… so that investors’ interests would be protected either at the fund management level, at the distribution level, or both”

Jehan Chu, managing director of the Hong Kong-based crypto investment firm Kenetic Capital said “We are happy to see the SFC taking concrete steps to provide clarity and guidance around digital asset management, distribution of fund interests and trading platforms, which shows that the SFC is willing to support the growth of the crypto and blockchain eco-system in a safe and sustainable manner.”

Morgan Stanley report says Bitcoin is new institutional asset class

Institutional investors are increasingly getting involved in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies – while the number of retail investors in the space is staying stagnant – according to a new report “Bitcoin Decrypted: A Brief Teach-In and Implications” by Morgan Stanley. The report emphasized its “rapidly morphing thesis,” which began by defining Bitcoin as “digital cash” and noting that investors had full confidence in it, to a solution for issues in the financial system, to a new payment system to ultimately a new institutional investment class.

Bitcoin is a “new institutional investment class,” and has been for almost a year, the report stated. The amount of crypto assets under management has been increasing since January 2016, with $7.11 billion currently being stored by hedge funds, venture capital firms and private equity firms. That being said, the report did cite three issues clients had with investing in the cryptocurrency space: regulatory uncertainty, a lack of regulated custodian solutions and a current lack of large financial institutions in the space.